Most Popular
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Korea enters full election mode
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Seoul bus drivers go on general strike, cause morning rush hour delays
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Immigrant woman stabbed to death by Korean husband
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Official campaigning kicks off for April 10 elections
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Court upholds jail term for man who attempted to murder ex-girlfriend
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S. Korea to boost support for single-parent families
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Yellow dust engulfs S. Korea, advisory alert issued
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Lee Jong-sup resigns as envoy to Australia
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Kia EV9 wins world car of year
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Korea misses out on global bond index boost
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[Weekender] Art dives into old bathtubs
Public bathhouses used to be part of Korea’s culture. On weekends, sons and fathers, daughters and mothers went to bathhouses together, small plastic baskets filled with toiletries in tow. The lifestyle reflected how difficult it was for an average household to have hot running water or a bathtub in the old days. But with changes in the housing environment, these days people mostly bathe at home and public bathhouses are considered out of date.The jjimjilbang has taken the place of bathhouses, f
CultureAug. 16, 2018
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[Weekender] Korea’s top five energy-boosting summer dishes
As a record-breaking heat wave continues to scorch Korea, more people are turning to dishes that are believed to help beat the summer heat.Known as boyangsik, which translates to “invigorating food” in Korea, the strength-building dishes are often served in summer, with people even lining up in front of famous restaurants to enjoy the healthy and tasty dishes. Galbitang (top left), Jang-eo gui (top right), Chueotang (bottom left) and Samgyetang. (bottom right)Here are the top five boyangsik dis
FoodAug. 9, 2018
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[Weekender] What effect does boyangsik have on your body?
Amid the blistering summer heat, people are opting for healthy food to boost their energy and get their appetite back. From samgyetang to roasted eel, Korea has diverse summer dishes passed down from generation to generation, called boyangsik, or food that strengthens the body. However, boyangsik could have unintended effects, such as sapping one’s energy, if the food does not match with the person’s body type, according to an oriental medicine expert.“Each individual is born with different phys
TechnologyAug. 9, 2018
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[Weekender] Koreans recharge with boyangsik
It has been almost a month since a heat wave began sweeping across Korea. With temperatures breaking records, the unbearable heat has sapped people’s strength and made them lose their appetites. Here’s where boyangsik steps in. It refers to food that strengthens and replenishes the body. Though the nutritious dishes can be consumed at any time of the year -- such as when recovering from a surgery or after giving birth -- they are often sought after in summer. (123rf)In Korea, there is “sambok,”
FoodAug. 9, 2018
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[Weekender] 5 surfing spots to ride the wave
For many people, Korea is probably not on their list of must-go surfing destinations. However, with the rising popularity of the sport, more people are discovering that they can actually catch some good waves here. Surfers at Mallipo Beach (Yonhap)Based on recommendations from members of the Korea Pro Surfing Association, pro and amateur surfers, and online surfing communities, The Korea Herald has selected five spots that surfers of all levels can enjoy.1. Busan Songjeong Beach, Busan (Busan
TravelAug. 2, 2018
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[Weekender] Extra information about surfing in Korea
Indoor surfing at Flow House SeoulIf traveling all the way to a beach does not fit your schedule, there is the option of indoor surfing at Flow House Seoul in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Practice balancing on a board at this establishment, which touts itself as a transplanted California beach. Training sessions are available at 350,000 won ($315) per hour for a group of eight to 11. For a group of four, an hour’s flow riding starts at 40,000 won per head without lesson. Flow House Seoul opens dai
More SportsAug. 2, 2018
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[Weekender] Surf’s up for Korea
“We met through surfing last year,” a young Korean couple holding on to surfboards said on a sunny day at Hajodae Beach in Yangyang, Gangwon Province. The two had their faces covered in thick sunblock, their bright smiles matching.“We liked surfing so much that we eventually quit our jobs and went down to Jeju Island together to live there for a month surfing,” 27-year-old Um Kyu-ri said, holding hands with her boyfriend Woo Im-kyun, also 27 and a kindred spirit.Surfing is the latest trending su
More SportsAug. 2, 2018
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[Weekender] Korean surfers break away from ‘surfer dude’ stereotypes
Surfing has become a new growing scene for Koreans in recent years. It is a sport or hobby more and more Koreans are eager to give a try amid the sweltering heat. Only a decade ago, hitting the waves on a surfboard would have been considered bizarre to many locals. “If you searched for ‘surfing’ on the internet, the only results you would have gotten were either ‘wind surfing’ or ‘surfing the web’ 10 years back,” Lee Hyung-joo said in an interview with The Korea Herald. Lee Hyung-joo, one of the
CultureAug. 2, 2018
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[Weekender] What blood types are really about
In some East Asian countries, a person’s blood type is believed to determine personality traits including temperament and compatibility with others. However, the scientific community dismisses the blood type personality theory, citing a lack of evidence. They say blood types are maintained as a classification system for safe transfusions of blood in emergency situations.Known as the ABO blood group system, different blood types were first discovered by Austrian Physician Karl Landsteiner in 1900
TechnologyJuly 26, 2018
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[Weekender] Stereotyping personalities -- by blood type
When getting to know someone in South Korea, there is a good chance that at one point or another, you will be asked, “What’s your blood type?” To outsiders, blood type may mean nothing more than information needed to find a match for a blood transfusion. But in Korea, a person’s blood type -- either A, B, O, or AB -- is widely believed to be predictive of personality and temperament, similar to horoscopes in the West. Under the blood type personality theory, a person with Type A blood is dilige
CultureJuly 26, 2018
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[Weekender] Are men with type B blood really womanizers?
Kim Sang-hoon, 29, with type B blood rarely takes part in conversations about blood types linked with personalities. “Koreans have the misperception that a man with type B blood is selfish, a womanizer or hot-tempered. I don’t want people to judge me in such a way before getting to know me,” he said. Despite no scientific proof that blood types and personalities are linked, Koreans often ask about blood types to predict someone’s personality -- sometimes going further to judge relationships and
CultureJuly 26, 2018
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[Weekender] Ethereal summer escapes overseas
As the summer heat rolls through Korea, many are hoping to travel abroad for an enjoyable, relaxing vacation. With so many convincing options and intriguing places, it is often overwhelming to research and decide on a fun, exciting and affordable location.Based on online rankings from South Koreans, popular social media posts and opinions from Korean youth, The Korea Herald has compiled some of the most interesting places to visit overseas this summer. Not too far from home, each of the destinat
TravelJuly 19, 2018
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[Weekender] Summer getaways at hotels for ‘one-stop luxury’
Summer holidays are finally here.The idea of getting away from city life is always fun. But the reality is that it’s scorching outside, most of Korea is well over 30 Celsius degrees, and everywhere you go will be crowded with holidaymakers. Plus, the roads are already packed with millions of vacationers. When you do finally reach the beach after hours stuck in highway traffic, you find yourself swimming shoulder to shoulder with others. Koreans often say the beaches are “half water, half people”
TravelJuly 19, 2018
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[Weekender] Living, not just sightseeing, travel destinations
Back in college when you were backpacking across Europe, you jammed in as many activities to do as you could; every second counts when you’re traveling on the hard-earned money you made tutoring and waiting tables. But sometimes people -- rather than crossing off all the items on to-do lists -- wish they could just live like the locals, soaking in the mundane everyday stuff that only people living there know to look for: That bakery around the corner, that bistro down the block, that little book
TravelJuly 19, 2018
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[Weekender] Following palace murder trail on jaunty trip
YEONGWOL, Gangwon Province -- As the ferry leisurely sailed toward Cheongnyeongpo Cape, Gangwon Province, a needle-floored pine forest gradually rose from a distance. In the thick of sweltering summer heat, the verdant woodland provided an umbrella of shade and cool breeze, a stillness suspended from the trappings of modern life.It was here, on a sequestered patch of greenery, that King Danjong (1441-57), the sixth king of the Joseon era, was sent into a brief exile before his death at the age o
TravelJuly 19, 2018
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[Weekender] The sneakers revolution
Carrie Bradshaw from “Sex and the City” and her collection of Manolo Blahnik stilettos were indisputably fashion icons of the 2000s. The pointy, faintly high heels symbolized feminine glamor and were an expression of self-confidence and sexuality. But in the fashion year of 2018, something unthinkable for Carrie is happening. Women are ditching heels and formal black shoes that have ruled the world since the Baroque period of the 17-18th centuries. Instead, they are turning to sneakers that fash
Arts & DesignJuly 12, 2018
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[Weekender] Beat them with the ugly chic
The latest craze for sneakers has helped luxury designer brands think out of the shoebox. Marking a departure from conventional beauty and balance, designer brands have been introducing some experimental designs for sneakers and flat shoes. But the competition for the coolest style has turned into an effort to make shoes as ugly as possible.From Balenciaga’s Triple S Trainers, Gucci’s Rhyton to Louis Vuitton’s Archlight, sneakers from those luxury brands are all part of the trend for “ugly shoes
Arts & DesignJuly 12, 2018
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[Weekender] Sneaker dissected: why so comfortable?
It is the brand and design that can seem most alluring when making choices of sneakers or gym shoes. But it is the evolving chemical technology that silently has led the popularity of shoes on rubber soles, pushing the limits of people every day from fitness enthusiasts to fashionistas on the streets.People clad in running shoes jog on pavement. (123rf)The springy footwear has optimized the experience of runners and pedestrians alike, cushioning impact from the ground and returning energy to the
TechnologyJuly 12, 2018
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[Weekender] Walking down the history of Euljiro
Euljiro, some 3.5 kilometer road cutting through the heart of Seoul in Jung-gu, has a history that goes back to 1940s.The area was called Gokanemachi under the Japanese Government General of Korea until 1946, when Koreans changed it to Eulji, named after General Eulji Mundeok who saved Korea from the invading Sui Dynasty in China.Koreans tried to weaken the spirit of Chinese who formed a Chinatown in Euljiro in the 1940s by naming the area after a courageous figure. Photos of shoppers at Bangsa
Social AffairsJuly 6, 2018
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[Weekender] Euljiro Nogari Alley offers unpretentious pub fare
During a sudden downpour in Seoul on Monday evening, Euljiro turned into a ghost town surrounded by a modern megapolis. Located south of the Cheonggyecheon in central Seoul, most of the shops and restaurants in Euljiro closed their business after a busy day dealing with customers visiting electric shops and publishing companies. But at the end of the dark alley, a light still glimmered. Under the roofs decorated with small flags of different nations, crowds of people sat in bright red plastic ch
TravelJuly 6, 2018